Bicycle Touring As a Cheap Adventure Travel Alternative

Adventure travel has been increasingly sought after over the past few years, but as the economy has declined the generally expensive adventure travel packages have become less and less appealing. Few people would feel good about spending thousands of dollars to put a little adventure in their travel.

And here enters bicycle touring. There are several different types of bike touring around, from those totally organized and supported by a bicycle touring company down to those fully self-contained and supported by you, the tourer. Interestingly, the cheapest option (fully self-contained) also provides the most freedom and adventure.

It sounds too good to be true, right? You get more for less? But that really is the truth if adventure is what you’re looking for. Also, assuming that you go on a bike tour more than once in your life, then the one-time purchase of your bike (if you don’t already own one) and touring gear is a good, relatively cheap investment. The cost of your bike and gear, if you do some bargain hunting, can be less than the cost of a ticket overseas, and you get to use your bike and gear over and over again.

Designing your own adventure travel tour by bicycle can also allow to you stay close to home if you are on a really tight budget or a time constraint. Spending a few days cycling to a nearby landmark, national park, etc., would effectively cut your traditional transportation expenses to zero, or darn near to it.

The biggest expense you’ll have while on your adventure will probably be food; your body’s the engine and it needs gas. But as long as you are smart about what you buy and make sure not to eat a steak dinner with a couple beers every night, you are still going to come out way under the expense total of a normal adventure travel package.

So whether you are looking for some gap year adventure travel, a little taste of the slow travel lifestyle, or some way to throw a bit of cheap adventure travel into your life this year, give bicycle touring at try. And for all you new cycle tourers out there, there are plenty of cycle touring guides and tips on the internet to get you started. Good luck, and happy touring.